Submarine salvage and recovery apparatus



June 26, 1934. s, LAKE 1,963,996

SUBMARINE SALVAGE AND RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 19, 1928sheets-sheet 1 I A TTORN June 26, 1934. s. LAKE 1,963,996

SUBMARINE SALVAGE AND RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed NOV. 19, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Fay. 4.

v INVENTOR: 'z'mU/z Lez/9e, BYMZA/MQL A TTORN June 26, s LAKE vSUBMARINE SALVAGE AND RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 19. 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.' ,Sirf/071 0736/ www- A TTORN Y.

Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES SUBMARINE SALVAGE AND RECOVERYAPPARATUS Simon Lake, Milford, Conn.

Application November 19, 1928, Serial No. 320,318

9 Claims.

This invention relates to submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, andembodies certain improvements on the devices of a similar naturedisclosed in my Patents Nos. 867,984, granted '5- October l5, 1907;885,930, granted April 28, 1908;

1,356,773, granted October 26, 1920, and 1,379,- 928, granted May 3l,1921, whereby greater facility and safety in performing variousdeep-water operations, such as recovering sunken vessels or theircargoes, rescuing the crews imprisoned in sunken submarines, gatheringshell-fish, sponges, etc. are attained.

These improvements are based upon actual operations performed withsemi-submersible tubes built in accordance with the inventions disclosedin my patents above mentioned, and which showed where improvements couldbe made to further increase the efficiency of such apparatus inperforming the various functions for which they are adapted.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is adeckplan of a vessel, preferably a barge embodying the presentinvention, the top or roof of the deckhouse being r-emoved. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section of the vessel, taken on line 2-2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4illustrates the barge engaged in salvaging the cargo or inspecting thecondition of a sunken vessel. Fig.'5 illustrates the manner in whichcommunication may -be established between the barge and a sunkensubmarine to rescue the crew therefrom. Fig. 6 is a construction detailof the connector between the barge-tube and the hatchway of thesubmarine. Fig. 7 illustrates a modification of the connector shown inFig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevation of one of the hydraulicdevices used to prevent the breaking of th-e hoisting lines.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, the hull A of the barge is shown ashaving a deck-house B,

the floor 10 of which constitutes the deck of the vessel and covers arectangular well 1l which is open at the bottom but is madeair-and-watertight by bulkheads 12, 13 at its ends, side-bulkheads 14,15 and the iioor 10 of the deck-house.

The deck-house is divided by bulkheads 16, 17

into three compartments, of which the largest 18 provides the necessaryspace for the crew, machinery, supplies, etc., while the compartment 19enclosed by the end and side walls 12, 14 and roof of the deck-house, inconjunction with the bulkheads 17, forms an air-tight compartment thefloor of which is, however, provided with openings, to be hereinafterreferred to, leading into the well 1l above described. The middlecompartment located between the bulkheads 16 and 17 provides an air-lock20 enclosed by walls 2l, 22, the latter having a door 23 whereby the 6Uair-lock may be sealed against the passage24 leading to the side deck ofthe vessel. A door 25 in the bulkhead permits passing between thecompartment 19 and air-lock 20, the organization being such that, whenthe door 23 is1ocked, a'per- 65 son may pass freely from either chamber`(19 or 20) into the other, the air pressure being equalized with that inthe main well 11 of the vessel.

One of the particular objects of the present invention is the provisionof improved means whereby a diver may be permitted Vto descend to aconsiderable depth without being encumbered by armor, air-lines, etc.,such means leading from the vessels deck through the water andrto acompartment wherein the diver may put on his armor. As a matter of factthese means provide apparatus whereby the diver is enabled to descend ina tubular device,v provided with a diving compartment and containing airunder practically normal pressure, until he reaches a point ofsubmergence where he desires to leave the tube and emerge into the sea.He then increases the air pressure in the'diving compartment to equalthe water pressure on the exterior of the diving coml partment, thenopens the bottom door, dons his diving dress and steps out into the sea,as has been described in my prior patents.

The preferred construction of these means, as shown in the drawings,comprises a pair of hollow tubular arms 3G, 31 which are pivoted, at oneend, 90 on trunnions 32, 33 in the side walls 14, 15, respectively, ofthe well. Their other ends are rigidly connected by an enclosed,box-like ystructure 34 forming awater ballast chamber which, whensupplied with water will aid in causing this end to descend from itshighest position, shown in Fig. 2, where it normally floats to .anydesired submerged position. The structure 34 is held up against a girder35 extending athwartship of the Y hull by a block-and-cable mechanism36, the cable 36a, thereof leading to a winch 37 located in aV chamber38 between the bulkheads 16,17 above referred to. It will therefore beunderstood, that,v when the winch is operated to gradually unwind thecable 36a, the arms will pivot upon their 105 trunnions 32, 33 to swingfrom the position shown in Fig. 2 to any desired lowered position downto the perpendicular. (See for vexample Figs. 3 and 4).

The connected swinging ends 'of the arms' 30, 110

31 support, on suitable watertight hollow trunnions 40, 41, one end of atube 42 which constitutes the principal element of the organization andis provided at its free end with an observation and diving head orcompartment H which, in the present instance, is formed as a part of asecondary tube 43 adapted for telescopic sliding movement within themain tube 42, see Fig. 3. This movement may be controlled by a fluidunder pressure, preferably oil. The space 44 between the tubes 42 and 43receives the oil under pressure from a pipe or hose 45 leading from thepressure supply for the purpose of retracting the inner tube 43 into theouter tube 42, the pressure of the oil acting in the space 44 between astationary packing-ring 47 carried by the outer tube and an annularpiston 46 carried by the inner tube.

In order to project the inner tube 43 outward from the outer or maintube 42, the: latter has secure-d to it at 48 one end of a guide-tube orcylinder 49 which is slightly smaller in diameter than the insidediameter of the inner tube 43 so as to provide room for a packing ring5G secured to the cylinder 49. If, now, the oil is forced through a tube51 under pressureI into the space 52 between the adjacent surfaces ofthe outer tube 42 and cylinder 49, the inner tube, having at its end thepiston 46, will be forced out, the pressure in the oil-pipe 45 being, ofcourse, relieved.

' tube 42, with its telescoping inner tube 43 carrying head H form anarticulated tubular member which may be adjusted at will.

The inner tube 43 carries at its outer end the i observation or diverscompartment H previously 'referred to, which consists, substantially, ofa working chamber 55 surrounded by water ballast compartments or tanks hand having an end outlet 56 provided with a removable door, and bottomand top outlets 57 and 58, respectively, also provided with doors. Allof these doors may be provided with glazed ports or closures (not shown)which, when shut and sealed, will enable a person within the chamber 55to make observations of the surroundings of the divers compartment,whether on the sea-bottom, in the hull of a sunken vessel, or otherlocality. It will be noted, as previously pointed out, that the airpressure in the chamber 55 is the same as that in the Vvesselwell 11 byvirtue of the clear open passage through vthe members 30, 31, 42, 43 and49 between these two points. If, however, the chamber 55 is to be usedas a divers compartment, and the diver is to emerge therefrom to travelabout under water, the air pressure in the compartment 55 must naturallybe increased'in accordance with the depth of submergence of thecompartment. For this reason the inner tube 43 is pro-vided near theentrance to the divers chamber 55 with an airlock bulkhead in which adoor 60 may be closed to separate the compartment 55 from the mainportion of the inner tube and seal the same to confine the high-pressureair to the space in the diving compartment and in an air lock 61.

Any suitable piping (not shown) may be used I to carry the high-pressureair into the diving comber`19 where a suitable airpump with air receivermay be provided to supply the proper amount of air pressure to the pipeline.

Practice has demonstrated the fact that, when a diver is ready to ascendfrom any great depth, it is necessary, in order to guard him againstwhat is termed the bends (a disease which is caused by a too rapidchange in the air pressure and which often proves fatal) to employ asocalled stage-decompression. Assuming that the bottom of the divingchamber is at a depth of 260 feet, the air pressure required to keep thewater out of compartment 55 would be 86.6 lbs. per square inch, apressure which should not be decreased to a point less than 43.3 lbs.for the first stage of decompression of the diver. By a properarrangement of successive air locks a, formed by bulkheads provided withscalable doors a', in the side arm 30 (see Figs. 1 and 2) the severaldecompression stages will be provided for at properlytimed intervals andwill be effective to avoid any mishaps or injury to the diver due to tcorapid decompression. Y

In navigating on the surface, with the arms 30, 31 pulled up against thebeam or girder 35, the tube 43 retracted within the outerY tube 42, andthe latter raised by a winch and cable 66 so as to be completely housedwithin the well 11, the vessel may be towed, or be self propelling, andthus conducted to its field o1c operation. If this operation should be`the investigation and possible salvage of a sunken vessel, or itscargo, or both, the barge is located as closely as possible over thewreck, and soundings may be taken with a lead-lne for determining thebest position.

A diver and his assistant now pass through the air-lock 2l into thecompartment 19 from which they may enter an inlet 30' or 31 to one orthe other of side-arms 30, 31, respectively, or directly through theopening 58, into the diving com partment 55. If entrance is had throughopening 58 the cover or door thereof is then closed and sealed. The airpressure in the compartment 55 is equal to that in the well 1l becausecommunication between the two is open, as described. Accordingrto thedepth in which the wreck is located, either one or both of the Winches37 and 65 may now be released to slowly unwindthe cables which sustainthe arms, tube and diving compartment. For instance, as illustrated inFig. 4, the arms 30, 31 have not been lowered to their descent-limit,the tube 42 hangs in perpendicular position and the inner ordiving-compartment carrying tube 43 is partly projected therefrom tobring the observation or divers compartment H into position forinvestigation of the condition of the wreck, the air pressure in thedivers compartment or chamber 55 still being maintained as it was whenthe divers left the compartment 19. k

If the divers should now decide to leave the compartment for the wreclrshull, they close the air-lock door 60, don their divers suits and admitadditional air under pressure into compartment 55. The pressure isslowly increased until it is equal to the pressure of the sea wateragainst the lowermost doors of member H. This permits any of these doorsto be opened without the possibility of water entering the compartmentand the divers may leave the compartment 55 and more closely inspecttheir surroundings or do required work.

Returning to the divers chamber after their work, they iirst close theouter door through which they left and returned and then start theirascent, They enter air-lock 61 and slowly re.

lease the air pressure from compartment and air-lock 6l into thecompartment formed by the tube 49 until it is preferably brought toabout one-half of what it was. This constitutes the rst stage ofdecompression. Additional stages of decompression can be had by passingthrough the additional air-locks formed by bulk-heads a-a-a-a in anobvious manner.

Suitable ladders (not shown) may be provided in the tubes and arms toenable the operators to ascend to and descend from the barge withoutchanging the position of the diving compartment H within the wreckshull.

The arrangement of the air-locks in the passageway formed by the tubeand arms is part'cularly advantageous for the decompression of divers,in that while they are ascending the ladders they will be exercising ina manner appropriate to drive nitrogen out of their blood, thus makingunnecessary the calisthenics usually performed by them for this purposeto prevent occurrence of the bends or caisson disease.

If it should be deemed advisable to salvage the sunken vessel and bringit to the surface, the procedure would be to attach slings or chains toor under the Wreck, release the air pressure in the well 11 to permitthe barge or vessel A to settle more deeply in the water, then fastenone end of the hoisting cable to the deck winch and then bring the otherend, after passing it through a pulley attached to the sling under thesunken vessel, up to a hydraulic cushioning cylinder substantially inthe manner illustrated in more detail in Fig. 8. After bringing alllines up to a uniform tension, air is pumped into the well 11, theresult being a powerful l ft. Yet such lift is inherently elastic andthis is essential to prevent parting of the lines.V As the seas roll bythe barge, the air in the well will become slightly compressed orexpanded, thus holding a steady or continuous yielding strain on thelines, as distinguished from that asserted by a salvage vessel ofordinary type which upon dropping in the trough of a sea thereaftertakes up on the lifting lines or chains with a sudden jerk.

Experience has demonstrated the fact that the first pull to lift a wreckfrom its bed is always the hardest, because it has to overcome not onlythe weight of the wreck but also to break the suction created by thelifting movement and the stickiness of the mud. Therefore, after thewreck has once been lifted with my apparatus, even for a comparativelyshort distance only, the lifting cables or chains may be further hauledin aboard the surface vessel, generally without changing the airpressure in the well 11, to raise the wreck up under the hull, in whichcondition it may be transported into shallow water.

This operation will be more clearly understood by referring to Fig. 8.To prevent parting of the hoisting lines connected with the submersibletube, or when hoisting a sunken vessel in a heavy sea, I use single ormultiple blocks with one end Yof the line 36 carried up and attached toa piston rod 100, the piston 101 of which is movable in a cylinder 102lled with oil, a sufficient supply of such oil being stored in a tank103 containing air under pressure which pressure may be indicated by agage 104. The other end, 36a, of the line runs to a hoisting winch suchas that indicated at 37. When, now, a sudden heavy pull '1s exerted onthe line while its end 36a is held against yielding, the other end ofthe line 36 will pull the piston rod 100 outward, thereby forcing oilfrom the cylinder 102 into the tank 103 against the pressure of airtherein, 'the pressure in the tank ceased, the pressure in the tank 103will automatically return the piston 101 to normal vposition, suchreturn movement being naturally slow it is controlled by the size of'the' apertures Another instance of the utility of the present inventionis in regard to the rescue of a zcrew imprisoned in a sunken submarine.One manner in which this can be accomplished is illustrated 1n Figs. 5and 6. In this adaptation of the invention an accordion-like tubularmember C is employed for connecting the deck-hatch of the sunkensubmarine with the divers compartment H .of the tube 43. The preferredconstruction of this connector C is clearly illustrated in detail 1nFig. 6, and comprises at its upper end a flange having a projecting lip71 for locating it properly relatively to the lower opening 57 of thehead H. A packing-ring 72 forms a tight joint with the outer end ring 73of the head H, when the flange is tightly drawn upward, as for instanceby turnbuckle links 74 in the manner shown. An accordion sleeve 75,preferably made of rubberized canvas and reinforced internally and eX-.ternally by annular bands 76, is securely clamped 1n a water and airtight manner to the underside ofthe flange 70 through the medium of asuitable clamping ring 77.

The lower end of the canvas tube is similarly clamped to the upper faceof a connector-flange 78 by Ia clamping ring 79 which is permanentlysecured to the flange 78 by rivets (not shown). A lip 80 kprojectingdownwardly from the flange 78serves as a locator for a packing ring 81and also as a means for positioning-the flange itself within a ring 82secured around the hatchway 83 of the submarine hull S. This ring isprovidked with a series of tapped holes corresponding to a series ofplain holes drilled in the lower-combination flange 78, 79, 8l, andadapted to receive a series of bolts 84whereby this flange can bereadily and tightly secured to the ring 82 to form a water and air tightjoint. Stays, such astackle-lines 85 (see Fig. 5) may be employed formaintaining the diving compartment H in position relatively to the hatch83 without undue strain on the connector C. v

. When the connector C has thus been placed, the a1r pressure may beslightly raised in the diving chamber 55 until all the water intheconnector C has been forced out through small check valves 86, whereupona valve 87 in the hatch cover 88 may be Vopened to Y permit air underpressure to enter from the connector C into the interior of thesubmarine until the air pressure in the diving. compartment and in thecompartment of the submarine connected with it are equalized Thereaftercover 88 may be raised into the position shown in Fig. 6, to allow thecrew to ascend into the diving chamber 55 and from there ascend, by thestage-decompression process above described, to `the surface. y

Another adaptation of the present invention is illustrated in brokenlines in Fig. 3, in which both the arms 30, 31 and the tubes 42, 43 arefao' shown in partly lowered condition, the head H serving as anobservation chamber for directing the navigation of the vessel asrequired in the recovery of shell-iish, sponges, etc. In such operationsa special dredge is required, such as indicated at D, which ispreferably pivotally attached to the compartment H and drags evenly overthe bottom as the vessel proceeds, the lower door at 57 being left openso that the observer may gather the material collected by the dredge andstore it temporarily within the chamber 55.

Fig. 7 shows a modification of the attachment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 topermit the connection of two submarine vessels, or the submersible tubeand a sunken submarine vessel. In this modication 89 is a bearing membersecured to the divers exit door in the same manner as is casting 72shown in Fig. 5. This bearing member forms the upper part ofthe' socketportion of a ball-andsocket joint, the ball 89 of which is attached to abell-shaped casting 90 and is held in place by the retaining member 91which forms the lower part of the socket portion of the joint. A door 92permits access rom the diving compartment to the bell, and an annularpassage 93 is provided surrounding the bottom of the bell for a purposelater appearing. 94 and 95 are flexible rubber' packing rings whichsurround the passage 93 and are held in fixed relation to the wallsthereof by retainers 94 and 95', respectively. A pipe 96 connects thisannular pasage with a pump (not shown) located in the divingcompartment. An

. other pipe 97 connects with another pump (not shown) in the divingcompartment.

To afford communication between two vessels the diving compartment withits pendant bell 90 is positioned over the hatchway of the sunken vesseland then allowed to come to rest on the plating surrounding the hatch.Water is now pumped out of the annular passage 93, by means of the pumpconnected with pipe 96, thus creating in the passage a partial vacuumwhich draws the rubber packing rings 94 and 95 tight against the deckand ties the ships together by the force of the pressure acting upon thearea covered by the mouth of the bell. Door 92 may now be opened and anywater in the bell pumped out through pipe 97. The valve 98 in hatchcover 99 is no-w opened to allow the air in the compartment of thesunken ship to equalize with the air in the diving compartment andthereafter the hatch cover may be raised and the crew of the sunken shipascend to the surface from the diving compartment, as previouslydescribed in connection with Figs. 5 and 6.

In raising sunken vessels it may be found that the surface displacementof the surface craft is not sufficient to lift the submerged vessel. Itherefore provide a coffer dam E, which, as shown in Fig. 2, is normallyhoisted up into the well l1 but which, `as shown in Fig. 3, may belowered to increase the capacity of the well, so that on increasing theair pressure in the well l1 the water will be forced out at the bottomof the coffer dam, thus very'materially augmenting the displacement ofthe vessel. This coifer dam may be made air-tight with respect to thewalls of the well in any suitable manner.

In operating on ships sunk in shallow waters, or in laying foundations,or doing other kinds of submarine work this coffer dam may be lowered sothat the men may conduct their work without the use of diving armor, theupper portion of their bodies being encased in the air contained marineor other vessel, and various changes and-- modifications in details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit ofthe invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim isz- 1. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, asurface vessel, a semi-submersible arm pivotally attached at one of itsends to said vessel, a submersible tube pivotally secured at one end tosaid semi-submersible arm, and means to raise and lower saidsemi-submersible arm and said submersible tube, said arm and tubecapable of being housed, when raised, withinthe limits of the hull ofsaid vessel.

2. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vessel, apair of similar semisubmersible arms attached at one end to said vessel,a submersible tube secured at one of its ends between saidsemi-submersible arms, and means to raise and lower saidsemi-submersible arms and said submersible tube, said tube, when raised,lying between said arms and in substantial lateral alignment therewith.

3. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vesselprovided with a well, a pair of similar semi-submersible arms pivotallyattached at one end to said vessel within said well and having theirother ends free, a submersible tube pivotally secured at one of its endsbetween said semi-submersible arms adjacent t0 their free ends, andmeans to raise and lower said semi-submersible arms and said submersibletube, said arms and tube, when raised, lying within said well insubstantial alignment laterally.

4. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vessel, apair of semi-submersible arms pivotally attached at one end to saidvessel,

a submersible tube secured at one of its ends between saidsemi-submersible arms, an auxiliary extensible tube telescopicallyhoused within said submersible tube, means to project and retract saidextensible tube relatively to said submersible tube, and means to raiseand lower said arms and said submersible tube.

5. In a: submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vessel, apair of semi-submersible arms attached at one end to said vessel, asubmersible tube secured at one of its lends between saidsemi-submersible arms, an auxiliary extensible tube telescopicallyhoused within said submersible tube and provided with an observationchamber at its outer end, pressure iiuid means to project and retractsaid extensible tube relatively to said submersible tube, and mechanicalmeans to raise and lower said arms and said submersible tube.

6. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface Vesselprovided with a well within its hull and opening through the bottomthereof, a deck forming a closure for the top of said well, an armpivotally connected at one of itsends with said vessel and arrangedwithin said well and having an inlet portion in communication with saiddeck, means providing an air-tight chamber surrounding said inletportion, and a tube connected with said arm and carrying an observationchamber, said tube and arm providing a passageway between saidobservation chamber and said air-tight chamber, said air-tight chamberadapted to receive air at any desired pressure and communicate same tosaid observation chamber.

7. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vesselprovided with a well within its hull and opening through the bottomthereof, a deck forming a closure for the top of said well, an armpivotally connected at one of its ends with said vessel and arrangedwithin said well and having an inlet portion in communication with saiddeck, means providing an air tight chamber surrounding said inletportion, a tube connected with said arm and carrying an observationchamber, said tube and arm providing a passageway between saidobservation chamber and said air-tight chamber, said air-tight chamberadapted to receive air atany desired pressure and communicate same tosaid observation chamber, and means providing an air-lock affordingcommunication between said air-tight chamber and the atmosphere, wherebyoperatives may pass from said vessel to said air-tight chamber, arm,tube and observation chamber with the pressure in said air-tight chamberhigher than atmospheric pressure.

8. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vesselprovided with a well Within its hull, said vessel provided with meansfrom which submerged apparatus may be supported from the surface of thewater by said vessel, said well open to the surrounding body of Waterbut normally closed to the surrounding atmosphere and adapted to receiveair under pressure to vary the pressure therein and thereby vary thebuoyancy of said vessel, whereby the ability of the vessel to supportfrom the surface the Weight of the submerged apparatus may be varied asdesired, and means associated with and normally contained within saidwell and extensible therefrom for increasing its normal cubicalcapacity.

9. In a submarine salvage and recovery apparatus, a surface vesselprovided with a Well within its hull, said vessel provided with meansfrom which submerged apparatus may be supported from the surface of thewater by said vessel, said well open to the surrounding body of Waterbut normally closed to the surrounding atmosphere and adapted to receiveair under pressure to vary the pressure therein and thereby vary thebuoyancy of said vessel, whereby the ability of the vessel to supportfrom the surface the weight of the submerged apparatus may be varied asdesired, and means comprising a correr-dam associated with said well andextensible therefrom for increasing its normal cubical capacity.

SIMON LAKE.

